The Minnesota Wild have embarked on a thrilling new journey by teaming up with Fanatics, a renowned global digital sports platform and licensed sports merchandise provider, to take their retail experience to the next level. This strategic long-term partnership is set to transform the way fans engage with the team’s merchandise, both online and at the Xcel Energy Center.
Fanatics has officially become the Wild’s exclusive end-to-end retail partner, taking over the management of all physical retail outlets at the Xcel Energy Center and overseeing operations of the online store HockeyLodge.com. By combining forces, Fanatics and the Wild aim to create a cohesive omnichannel shopping experience that caters to the desires of Wild enthusiasts everywhere.
Previously known for powering the Wild’s official e-commerce site through their league-wide NHL partnership, Fanatics has now expanded its role to include integration of both online and in-arena retail operations. This extension guarantees a seamless and consistent shopping journey for fans, whether they are perusing merchandise online, on their mobile devices, or attending thrilling games at the Xcel Energy Center.
Carin Anderson, the Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships and Retail Management for the Minnesota Wild, has expressed her excitement about this new collaboration. She believes that fans will be delighted with the enhanced retail experience, both online and at the revamped Xcel Energy Center store, offering a wider array and increased availability of their favorite team gear.
To further enhance the retail spaces at the Xcel Energy Center, Fanatics will be making substantial investments in upgrading stores, kiosks, and other retail touchpoints. These improvements are carefully crafted to elevate the shopping experience during games and events. By merging e-commerce and in-venue retail, Fanatics is dedicated to providing a consistent and convenient shopping environment for all devoted fans.
With an extensive licensed apparel partnership with the NHL that includes the rights to create, produce, and distribute all categories of authentic and replica jerseys, Fanatics is set to offer Wild fans an expanded selection of premium team merchandise. Beginning this season, Fanatics also becomes the NHL’s official provider for on-ice uniforms, allowing fans to purchase the same on-ice jerseys worn by the players during games.
In addition to Fanatics-branded products, the retail offerings will include apparel, headwear, hard goods, and lifestyle items from top brands like Mitchell & Ness, New Era, WinCraft, as well as local favorites such as UNRL, SotaStick, Levelwear, and many more. This wide selection ensures that fans have access to a diverse range of products to showcase their team pride.
Ed O’Brien, the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Fanatics, shared his enthusiasm about this new omnichannel retail partnership with the Wild. He highlighted the significance of hockey in Minnesota’s culture and reaffirmed Fanatics’ dedication to providing an unparalleled retail experience, enabling fans to celebrate the game and support the team with pride, both during game days and beyond.
In recent months, Fanatics has been diligently working on enhancing and renovating The Hockey Lodge, the Wild’s flagship retail location. The store is gearing up to host a grand opening event on September 21 at 11 a.m., coinciding with the unveiling of the new portfolio of authentic and replica jerseys to fans in partnership with the NHL.
With this groundbreaking partnership, the Minnesota Wild joins a select group of NHL teams for which Fanatics operates both in-venue and e-commerce retail. They align with other Minnesota-based sports organizations, including the NBA’s Timberwolves, the WNBA’s Lynx, the NFL’s Vikings, and the University of Minnesota Athletics, in their collaboration with Fanatics. Get ready for a remarkable shopping experience at the Xcel Energy Center like never before!
